July 28 (Bloomberg) -- Carlos Sastre sealed his first Tour de France title to become the third Spaniard in as many years to win cycling's biggest race.

Sastre finished the final stage on the Champs-Elysees in Paris yesterday in the main group of riders to end the 3,500 kilometer (2,175-mile) event 58 seconds ahead of Australia's Cadel Evans, who was also runner-up last year.

``This is a dream come true and a realization of all the suffering and sacrifices I've made in my career,'' Sastre, 33, told CSC team's Web site. ``I thank everyone who's supported me and never lost faith in me.''

Spaniards Alberto Contador and Oscar Pereiro won the past two Tours and Sastre's win gives his country a third major sporting triumph in a month. The national soccer team ended its 44-year trophy drought on June 29 by winning the European Championship. Rafael Nadal then won his first Wimbledon tennis title, beating five-time champion Roger Federer in the final.

Evans finished 18 seconds ahead of third-placed Bernhard Kohl of Austria in the overall standings. Denis Menchov of Russia, Christian Vande Velde of the U.S. and Luxembourg's Frank Schleck rounded out the top six.

``To finish second is a good ride,'' Evans said. ``Of course I'd like to win but it's not easy to win the Tour de France.''

Gert Steegmans of the Quick Step team won the 143-kilometer final stage from Etampes ahead of Gerald Ciolek and Oscar Freire. The race leaders tend not to compete for places on the last day, leaving sprinters to take the limelight at the end of the three-week race.

Alpine Attack

Sastre, the seventh Spaniard to win the Tour, took the lead July 23 by winning the 17th stage on the summit of L'Alpe d'Huez by more than two minutes.

Evans, seeking to become the first Australian to win the race, ended the day fourth overall with a deficit of 1:34. Still rated the favorite with bookmakers because of his prowess at time trials, he could only make up 29 seconds in the final race against the clock two days ago.

``He's done it twice in this Tour, first at Alpe d'Huez and second in the time trial,'' CSC manager Bjarne Riis said of Sastre on the team's Web site. ``He was never nervous. That's his best quality.''

Kohl took the award for this year's best climber, Spain's Freire topped the points classification for sprinters, while Schleck's brother Andy took the white jersey as the top-ranked rider under the age of 25.

Doping Scandals

Once again, doping scandals tainted the race. Kazakhstan rider Dmitri Fofonov of Credit Agricole, who finished 19th, tested positive for a banned stimulant after Stage 18, Agence France-Presse reported yesterday.

The Saunier Duval team withdrew July 17 after double stage winner Riccardo Ricco tested positive for erythropoietin, or EPO, a stamina-building drug. The team said it suspended Ricco and withdrew from the race so its sponsors wouldn't be hurt.

Spanish riders Manuel Beltran of Liquigas and Barloworld's Moises Duenas also tested positive for EPO, their teams said. Saunier Duval and Barloworld later said they were withdrawing from cycling sponsorship.

Fofonov was suspended and may be fired after buying a product over the Internet to fight cramps, AFP said, citing Credit Agricole team manager Roger Legeay. The news agency didn't name the product or the banned substance it contained.

A spokeswoman for the bank that sponsors the team declined to comment on the report when contacted by Bloomberg News. The cycling team didn't respond to a phone message.

Sponsors including Deutsche Telekom AG have withdrawn about $40 million of support because of doping scandals at the Tour.

Floyd Landis was stripped of the 2006 title after a positive drug test and last year there were five doping scandals. Contador didn't defend his title because his Astana team was barred after two of its riders failed doping tests.

To contact the reporter on this story: James Cone in London at jcone@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: July 27, 2008 21:47 EDT